Although it can sound intimidating, a building inspection is a must for any new or remodeled building. During the inspection, the building inspector looks for a multitude of key factors. If those factors are not up to snuff, he won't clear the building for occupancy and the builder may have to go back and make additional repairs. The good news is that an inspection confirms that everything in the building is working as it should.

Structural Integrity

Building inspectors look at the entire building's structural integrity from the foundation up. He does this with information gleaned from blueprints and other documents involved in the building process. He may also inspect the building materials before they go into use. He has specific criteria that he checks before the building can pass the structural portion of the inspection. This portion may be done in stages, so that the inspector can see parts of the building that will later be hidden by walls, floors, and ceilings.

Fire Safety

Fire safety is an important aspect of any building inspection. There has to be proper ingress and egress for anyone who might be in the building during a fire. All components of the complete fire safety plan are investigated, including the fire exits, the smoke alarms, the sprinkler systems, and the overall fire protection equipment. He checks local fire codes against these items to make sure the building is in compliance.

Electrical Safety

The electrical system is key. It provides power for the entire building, but it can also be a significant source of trouble on its own. A building inspector verifies the wiring systems, any motors or generators, and the lighting systems against current codes. He also inspects the HVAC system to ensure that it is in compliance.

Violations

Building inspectors are responsible for issuing violations for any components that are not up to code. The building owner or the construction foreman then have a specific amount of time to correct the violations in order to bring the building up to code. Once that time has elapsed, he inspects the violated areas again to ensure that the violations were handled properly. Only then can he sign off with a passing score on the building inspection.

If you're in need of a building inspection for one of your projects, contact an expert today. You can often ask real estate companies, such as Home Inspection Associate, for references. An expert can make sure that your building is up to code on every level.